Page 155 of Trust No One

Ghost Girl.

“It’s weird, isn’t it?” Jennifer said.

“How so?”

“Amy was turning into Raine. I’d heard she was living on the Hale land. I guess it’s natural. She didn’t have anyone, and Raine was not only nice but always looked like she had it together.”

“I didn’t notice Amy much in those days.”

“A lot of girls did. They teased her about the change.”

Kids could be terrorists. “Was she bullied?”

“It stopped when one of the girls found a dead rat in her locker.”

“I remember something about that.”

“Yeah. Quite the fright.”

“Amy?”

Jennifer shrugged. “Never proved who did it. But the teasing stopped. Amy could hit back.”

“Did you see her do anything?”

“Sure. A guy grabbed and pulled her toward him. She slipped free, whirled around, and punched him squarely in the face. He looked ready to swing back, but a crowd gathered. He backed off.”

“Remember the guy?”

“Ken.”

My gaze shifted to Ken’s stack. Bright smiles. Perfect black hair. Square jaw. “Did Ken ever make any other moves on Amy?”

“Not that I heard of. But you know Ken. He was slick.” She grinned. “You notice a lot behind a camera lens.”

Ken’s arms were wrapped around a girl’s shoulder. A beer in hand. A fist thrust up in a cheer. Hugging Gabe and Maria close. Ken was always in the center.

Maria’s pile showed her alongside Raine often, sometimes with Gabe, once Ken. Her smile always fixed, always wide. Too wide.

Gabe had a small stack. Football team. Halloween dance. Leg in a brace after the ACL tear. In many, his eyes were bloodshot, his cheeks ruddy. Drinking, even then.

“You see Amy and Gabe together?”

“A few times. Like I said, no one notices Yearbook Girl.”

After his injury, Maria had pushed Gabe to take on more rehab. But Gabe had been adrift. Amy didn’t have expectations then. Now—she’d probably reminded him of a time when he’d mattered.

“You’ve done a great job, Jennifer. Thanks for organizing these.”

“I’m glad you reached out.” She slid all the images into a folder and handed it to me. “I hope this helps.”

“Thanks.”

“I heard Amy was found dead on Hale land.”

I didn’t respond.

“Hate to speak ill of the dead, but you know Amy dealt drugs.”